ISTANBUL – August 28 (Reuters) – Pakistan’s next five-year tourism strategy which has strong historical ties with Turkey, is entrusted to a Turkish company.
Within the scope of the goodwill agreement reached between the Pakistan government and the 100% Turkish capital company World Tourism Forum, the company will also conduct the promotion and international lobbying activities of Pakistan and prepare the country’s tourism master plan.
WTF, which will work to attract foreign capital groups to the country, undertakes to attract $ 1 billion in international investment in the first year within the scope of 5-year projection; Pakistan’s annual tourism income, now $ 8 billion, will be increased to $ 30 billion in five years.
WTF, which is currently carrying out the tourism strategy of Angola, will attract $ 1 billion of tourism investment in this country.
Stating that they have developed strategies for countries that have not activated their tourism potential, World Tourism Forum President Bulut Bağcı said, “We are looking at places where development is possible. We study, report and work in coordination with governments” and added:
“We have an ongoing contract with Angola as well as Pakistan. We will have projects in Cambodia and Ethiopia in 2020. We are also in talks with Saudi Arabia and Egypt. We will also start to study Colombia.”
Bagci said that they met Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan recently and went to a goodwill agreement for the promotion of Pakistan and the revitalization of tourism activities, and he stated that the final agreement will be signed in a short time:
“We will carry out our activities for the development of tourism in Pakistan under three headings. The promotion of Pakistan, the international lobby and the attracting of foreign capital investments into the country. We promised to attract $ 1 billion in investment during the first one-year agreement. Pakistan is a country with 8 billion dollars in tourism revenue. As WTF, we aim to increase this to 30 billion dollars with 5 years of projection. “
Bagci said that they will also cooperate with important tourism agencies of the world such as TUI and Thomos Cook for the promotion of Pakistan. He stated that they will introduce the tourism potential of the country to the world within the scope of World Tourism Forum event which will be organized in Pakistan in February.
Bagci said that the most important feature of the WTF activities is the participation of the world’s leading politicians, accordingly, international investment decisions could be taken much faster.
$ 650 M. INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT IN ANGOLA IN 3 MONTHS
Bagci stated that there are 5 years of goodwill agreements with Angola and said, “We are also carrying out the marketing strategy of the state in tourism. We are making the tourism master plans of 3 regions in Angola” and added:
“We have promised to attract $ 1 billion to Angola. We have already made a commitment to invest $ 650 million in three months. There was no international hotel in Angola. As the first hotel investment, Hilton came through us. We are currently in talks with Accor Group and Marriott Hotel.”
Bağcı indicated that they carried out various projects for Turkey in the periods of tourism shortage, “After the Reina attack of 2017 New Year’s Eve, we brought the important bloggers around the world to Istanbul and gave the message of “I’m totally safe in Istanbul” … Following the sharp decline in the Russian tourist number and aircraft crisis with Russia, we conducted a project for Turkey in Moscow.” he said.
